Welcome to my home in the blogosphere. I'll be exploring my favorite books, movies, and the writing world in general, along with discovering my new home, California. I'll also be sharing my old home, New Hampshire with you. Thanks for popping in and I hope you enjoy some romance under the moonlight.

A Gentleman and a Rogue

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Did you know the first jack-o-lanterns weren’t make out of
pumpkins?When I told my 9 year-old son,
Joe, he was surprised.Nope, they were
turnips.

The Irish used to make jack-o-lanterns out of turnips and
put them out on All Hallow’s Eve to scare away the evil spirits and
specifically, Stingy Jack.They didn’t
just hallow out turnips either. They also made jack-o-lanterns out of:rutabagas,
gourds, potatoes and beets. In the 1800’s Irish immigrants came to America and
discovered the pumpkin.Since then, the
squash has been a favorite to make jack-o-lanterns.

So is
Stingy Jack the guy that the jack-o-lantern is supposed to keep at bay?

Stingy
Jack is an old Irish legend.He was a
miserable man who drank too much and loved playing tricks on anyone who passed
his way – including his mom and even the Devil.

He
tricked the Devil into climbing an apple tree then he placed crosses around the
trunk of the tree. Since the Devil couldn’t touch the crosses, he was stuck in
the tree.Stingy Jack struck a deal with
the Devil.The Devil wouldn’t take his
soul when Jack died.Then Jack removed
the crosses the Devil got out of the tree.

When
Jack finally died he met St. Peter at the gates of Heaven.St. Peter told Jack he lived a miserable life
on Earth and was very cruel.Jack couldn’t
get into Heaven.So he went to Hell and
asked the Devil if he could come in.The
Devil said no.

Can
you imagine?You can’t get into Heaven –
or Hell!

Jack
fussed with the Devil who took pity on him and gave him an ember from Hell to
help Jack light his way as he traveled through the Netherworld which had no
light. Jack stuck his ember in his turnip and even to this day, roams the Earth
since he doesn’t have a resting place using a “Jack-O-Lantern.”

Have a Great Halloween! Question for you: What are you
going to be for Halloween?

Joe the Minion and Andrew the Scream Guy for Halloween 2015. We made our trunk into a Graveyard.

Friday, October 30, 2015

There's plenty of magic on the night of the Samhain!
Note: Night of Magic has a Jimmy Thomas cover!

BLURB:

Samhain ~ Dark... Dangerous... Powerful... The year is 800 AD on the Emerald Isle.

Five years ago, Prince Jasper lost his daughter Aithne to the world on the other side of the bonfires. Every year since, Jasper sends champions to this other world on the day of Samhain, when the barrier is weakest.

This year, Finn braves the bonfires in search of Aithne, but dare he follow his heart? Or will greed dictate his actions?ENJOY THIS EXCERPT:

Finn tried not to gawk at the castle before him. The structure appeared
like a perfect square with three levels. Torches lit each distinctive floor.
No flag flew from the top, but with guards posted at the entrances, Finn
was convinced the queen was in residence.
Ryal escorted him through the main gate and Finn entered the great
hall. People bustled about, serving food and ale. Men sat at tables, talking
and gambling. To the rear, an empty throne on a raised dais peered over
the room.
Darius whispered instructions to a nearby foot soldier who raced off.
Drums pounded a strong beat. Finn turned in the direction of the
drummers, recognizing the beat from earlier in the evening. Unease
slithered down his spine.
Darius, the pretty boy, motioned for Finn to proceed down the center
aisle. "Queen Aithne will come out once you kneel before the throne."
Finn grunted. He felt like a lamb being led to a slaughter, but he
complied anyway, driven by an instinctual feeling he couldn't explain.
Servants stopped to stare as he walked past. Men at the tables quieted.
Finn furrowed his brow. Aithne? Wasn't that the name of the prince's
daughter?
He kept quiet, only drawing a breath to tamp down his rising anxiety.
He never cared to be restricted. Giving up control and submitting to
another's will made him uncomfortable. His parents lost their lives when
they trusted the soldiers from the east who invaded their homes. Finn
swore he'd never trust anyone so blindly after that – but he had.
Reluctantly, he had put on the mask, allowed himself to be taken by
Darius, and had his wrists bound, and he'd hardly protested. Why? He
needed to find the prince's daughter, but a part of him hoped to find the
woman of his visions, too.

Darius placed his hand on Finn's shoulder and pushed him to his knees.
Finn snarled his displeasure. Darius had a problem with him – but what?The side door opened. A handmaiden stepped out. The sweet, sensual
scent of lavender trailed after her.
"Head down," Darius whispered into Finn's ear.
Finn swore the first chance he had, he'd give Darius a taste of his fists.
He felt the woman's presence in front of him before glancing up.
"Darius, rise with our...guest." Her voice was low and commanding.
As Darius tugged Finn to his feet, Finn found himself gazing into
seductive, soulful emerald eyes. The woman of his visions was real and
right in front of him!
She raked her gaze over him from head to toe, surveying his
appearance before finding his face. She said nothing, only cocking her
head a bit and smiling, revealing that amazing dimple. As their
expressions fixed on each other, Finn sensed a heated and sensuous light
pass between them. She licked her lips, and his pulse quickened. BUY LINKS: AMAZON:http://amzn.com/B00D2XP4R6B&N:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/night-of-magic-stephanie-burkhart/1119887269?ean=2940046044119

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/452595

REVIEWS: 5 Stars, Joy Cagil, Amazon Reviewer: Night of Magic is a love story, slightly on the dark side, with a time span of only a night, the night of Samhain on the Emerald Isle, the night that marks the darker part of the year.5 Stars, CrazyPuce, Amazon Reviewer: It was a quick and fun read. If you have a few hours to spare, you should go grab it.5 Stars, M. Fullington, Amazon Reviewer: Once I started, I couldn't put the book down.

Accused of cyber espionage by the
United States government, ethical hacker Ivy Macpherson is now on the FBI’s
most wanted list. Out of options, she runs, desperate for time to prove her
innocence. When fate takes an unexpected turn, bringing her face-to-face with
Tydrin, she must decide—trust a man more dangerous than the hunters on her
trail to keep her safe. Or risk capture by a covert agency well known for
ruthlessness.

Condemned by a past he doesn’t want
to remember…

Cursed with a terrible temper,
Scottish dragon-warrior Tydrin struggles to atone for a mistake that took
innocent lives. Unable to forgive himself, he returns to the scene of his crime
in hopes of finding absolution, but discovers a woman in need of his help
instead. Intervening in the nick of time, he whisks Ivy to safety, only to
realize the daughter of the family he wronged is the one destined to steal his
heart.

Enjoy this Excerpt:

The
climb over the high stone wall almost killed her. The half mile trek across the
cemetery in the dark hadn’t helped much either. Not that Ivy Macpherson could
afford to complain. Not after escaping with little more than the clothes on her
back. She was alive and mobile, and no matter how screwed up the situation, she
refused to take it for granted. Gratitude surfaced along with her relief. On
her knees in the dirt, she bowed her head. A cold breeze flicked over the nape
of her neck. She shivered and, closing her eyes, offered up a quick prayer. An
inadequate way to say thank you maybe, but…

By
God, she’d made it.

All
right, so it hadn’t been smooth sailing. She’d been lucky. So damn fortunate to
have gotten out of Washington D.C. in one piece. Quick wits had helped. A
friend with questionable business contacts had done the rest, providing fake
ID, some cash, and a one way trip to the UK. A rough ride by any standards. To
be expected given the circumstances. The crew aboard the freightliner Mary
Frances would never be called sweethearts. Or embody kindness.

She
should know. After a week of hiding out on the open seas—of scrubbing pots,
mopping floors, and dodging the cop-a-feel Captain—Ivy now understood the
meaning of hard work. Manuel labor at its finest. Sexual harassment at its
worst. Not a bit like her regular job. But then, the terrified and on the run
couldn’t be choosy.

Neither
could a hacker accused of espionage by the US government.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Growing up as the only girl
on all-male hockey team, Coreene Callahan knows a thing or two about tough guys
and loves to write characters inspired by them. Call it kismet. Call it payback
after years of locker room talk and ice rink antics, but whatever you call it,
the action better be heart stopping, the magic electric, and the story wicked,
good fun.

After graduating with honors
in psychology and working as an interior designer, she finally gave in and
returned to her first love: writing. Her debut novel, Fury of Fire, was a
finalist in the New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Contest in two
categories: Best First Book and Best Paranormal. She combines her love of
romance, adventure and writing with her passion for history in her novels. She
lives in Canada with her family, a fun-loving golden retriever, and her wild
imaginary world.

2012 Romance of the Year

Journey of the Heart

AMAZON BEST SELLER! It's 1946 - can James help Rachel save her winery after the ravages of war?

Visit me on Twitter at: StephBurkhart

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***********

Quotes on writing:

"Transitions are critically important. I want the reader to turn the page without thinking she's turning the page. It must flow seamlessly." - Janet Evanovich

"You can stroke people with words."~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

"Words are... the most powerful drug used by mankind."~ Rudyard Kipling

Write drunk; edit sober.- Ernest Hemingway

"A word is deadWhen it is said, Some say.I say it just Begins to liveThat day."~ Emily Dickenson

"Never Regret. If it's good, it's

wonderful. If it's bad, it's

experience." - Victoria Holt

By Heart and Compass

Recommended Read: Danielle Thorne's released, July 2010

Recommended Read:

"Drew realizes the true meaning behind her need for touch, when a tiger shark shifter walks out of her dreams and takes her to his underwater world."

About Me

A member of Generation X, Stephanie was born in Manchester, New Hampshire. After graduating from Central High, she joined the U.S. Army. She spent 11 years in the military, 7 stationed in Germany. While in the military she earned her B.S. in Political Science from California Baptist University in Riverside, CA in 1995. She left the Army in 1997 and settled in California. She now works for LAPD as a 911 Dispatcher. The New England Patriots are still her favorite football team. Stephanie has been married for over 19 years. She has two boys, Andrew, 8, and Joseph, 4.